That's What He Said: The Big Sexy's Thoughts About the World of Entertainment

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

BS Awards - Song of the Year

After way too much consideration, here are the Big Sexy's top 20 songs of 2009. There were plenty more than 20 songs that rocked my world this year, but these are the lucky twenty that get the wide spread publicity of receiving a coveted BS Award.

I have included a link when possible so that you can check it out. A lot of times, I find a particular lyric that I love from a song or that amuses me. I will stick those in my brief capsule of each song as well. I know the artists are very nervous, so without further ado...

1. Got Some by Pearl Jam - Backspacer was an excellent album from one of my favorite bands of all time. I love this song's energy. I was fired up by it the first time I saw it on Conan well in advance of the album coming out. I'd love to see them rock this in concert. My fave lyric is just his low growl mumble after he sings "What's wrong? at the very start. Tres cool. The video is from their Halloween concert. Fun fun fun!

2. I'm Your Daddy by Weezer - My inner geek loves me some Weezer. Die hard Weezer fans think they sold out into a pop band 15 years ago. I think Rivers Cuomo just keeps busting out fun pop/rock songs that make me smile. I love many Weezer lyrics from the deep to the telling of his daily chores and this one is full of good sentences. The chorus "You are my baby tonight... and I'm your daddy" is a perfect lyric from a guy who knows that he is out of his league and is NOT a cool guy because it is something that would be said by an ultra-confident guy. That's irony, homes.

3. East Jesus Nowhere by Green Day - I have already reviewed this album and will speak of it again in the album of the year discussion, so I'll hold off here the best I can. I love Green Day and this is my favorite track on their latest album. I think it's all about the hypocrisy of religion and I'm sure a bunch of other stuff. I do know it rocks. I love the whispering part.

4. Mind Eraser, No Chaser by Them Crooked Vultures - Josh Homme's new superband with fellow BS Entertainer of the Decade, Dave Grohl sounds like a kickass version of Queens of the Stone Age. This is such a driving, rocking hard song. I'm glad I'm not the drum kit.

5. Available by The National - I find that every year I find out for the first time about bands that have been around for a long time. Best thing about that is I get a new band that I love and they have come out with 3 or 4 albums all at the same time in my mind. The National is my favorite of my new-old bands. The lead singer is very baritone and sings lyrics approaching the brilliance of Craig Finn.

This song has a bit of a U2 jangling guitar feel to it. I love when he gets all screamy at the end of the song when he realizes what's going on. You can feel it building the whole song. He's being dumped after she got him drunk. So many great lyrics in this song like most of The National songs. "Why did you liquor me up just to dress me down? You just made yourself available."

6. Use Somebody by Kings of Leon - Similar to The National, KOL is a new band for me this year. I loved all of their 4 albums that were released (in my head) this year. This song got a little overplayed and is but it was still a powerfully emotional song. Here the acoustic version:

I know, that was just mean, but how often do you get to hear a Jonas Brother and 2,000 eleven year old girls sing one of your favorite songs. I'm buying a beer to anyone who loves this song and makes it to the end of this version.

7. The Fixer by Pearl Jam - The first album to repeat on the list. I kept flip flopping on my fave song from this album. Great rock song. Here's a live version with an intro explanation from Eddie. Again my fave lyric is his grunting "hey, hey, hey" at the start. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67qFTp7tOOM

8. The Rake's Song by The Decemberists - I'll discuss this album during my review of albums of the year. This is a very literate album and every song is part of a greater story. Kind of a musical set on an album. This song is about the villain of the story and the most rockin' song on the album. It talks about how his life went from great to crap explaining how he is the killer that he is now. Creepy. Here's a live clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dZEo3YyDfQ

9. Don't Stop Believin' by the Glee Cast - I already (prematurely?) raved about Glee on this site. The show is a bit uneven, but I still like it. This song was from the pilot. Lea Michelle knocks this out of the park as she does with most things she snigs. I know this song was the overdone, karaoke song of the year, but it deserves mention on the list. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRAPdLqvcB0

10. Press Hop by DJ Steve Porter - This is a mix of famous sports quotes from press conferences over the past several years set to a kickin' beat. "We talkin bout practice, man". Great on the headphones; Better with the youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exOxUAntx8I

11. Here's the Thing by Girl Talk - Girl Talk is a DJ walking a very fine tightrope of lawsuit. He puts together whole albums that are just one song mashing into the next. The songs are a variety of today's top hits, favorites from your past and hip-hop I've never heard. This section his latest album is the best digestable section. He only releases his albums digitally and from what I can tell does not get the artists' permission for the songs' use. Pirates! The attached video, put together by a fan on youtube, shows where all the songs are from. (Very cool!) I was hoping to hit a Parisian night club DJ'd by Girl Talk when we were there earlier in the year, but we missed him by a week. I think his party would be off the hook, to borrow from the 90's vernacular. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P3Gu-ksON0&feature=related

12. Horseshoes and Handgrenades by Green Day - The hardest rockin of all the rockin songs on 21st Century Breakdown. This would be a great song to start off a concert or album with. He comes right out of the gate with "I'm not fuckin' around!" It definitely makes you want to go and tear stuff up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI8NYV-GmAg

13. Alcoholics Unanimous by Art Brut - Art Brut is a fun band. I enjoyed seeing them is a small club in SF and talking with lead singer Eddie Argos, his girlfren and family. (Told you it was a small place). The songs are typically funny stories that have a kicking score. Makes me fancyapint and get a basket of chippies. I like the backing vocals singing back to Eddie as he tells his story. "Bring me tea!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8lNyi4_sy4

14. Picture by The Blakes - The Blakes were a big find for me last year and this song was on a very early 2009 mix, but I still think it is a great one so it made the list. I can't get the simple melody out of my head after I hear it.

15. Sugarlumps by Flight of the Conchords - This show ended it's two season run on HBO on a high note. I thought season 2 was as strong as the first. They seemed to get a little more techno this season. This is the best song about balls since Bon Scott.

16. I Don't Wanna Be by LMFAO - Funny/dance music was a bit of a hit this year between this, Flight (above) and The Lonely Island. This funky bit is a bit x-rated but I don't think kids listen to the words. "They say 'wassup', I say 'wassup', we say 'wassup wassup'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gvJIVh06nk

17. Secret Plans by Eagles of Death Metal - The best metal/dance band on the planet was making me shake my money maker through this year with their late 2008 release. I somehow missed seeing them live this year, but they are a great party. Try not tapping your toe or bobbing your head to this. "Hoo Hoo... Hoo Hoo"

19. Cheryl Tweedy by Lily Allen - Cheryl Tweedy is a huge pop star in England. She is a judge on England's version of American Idol and is married to famous Chelsea Footballer Ashely Cole. Allen intended the song as a tongue-in-cheek putdown to Tweedy, but maybe I don't get her English humor as it seems like she thinks Tweedy is perfect. "I wish my life was a little less seedy. Why I am always so greedy? I wish I looked just like Cheryl Tweedy. I know I never will. Never will." Nice bass line in this song, too.

20. Formula 409 by Electric Six - Leave it to the insane brain of Dick Valentine to sing a whole song about a cleaning product. With some bands I would think it was a metophor or something, but not with Electric Six. "You can clean your kitchen, baby. Make it look good all the time." Here's the freaky ass video.

There it is ... The Big Sexy Top 20. There were so many songs I loved that just missed the cut. More cuts from the above bands plus songs from Lifter Puller, The Pixies, The Lonely Island, She Wants Revenge, K'Naan and Arctic Monkeys to name a few. I can't wait to hear the excellent music that awaits my new ipod in the Ten's.